Local Attractions

The Road Less Traveled

This photo was taken "way up north" - north of Marquette, the first trip I took as an "NMU Mom."

Tom was at orientation for 2 days and I was up there just hanging out. I took the "waterfalls" map and my GPS and took off.

That's the day I learned that my GPS unit took the short way. Even when the short way was a 2 (or one) track "truck trail" - a sort of path for logging trucks. I turned back when the "bridge" across a creek was a set of 2x4's in the water.

I turned around in a clearing/meadow and went back to the road in the photo. It was really foggy!

Apply to real life:

When the road ahead is foggy and unclear...this is not the time for a short cut!

(note: I followed the dirt road a little while more, found pavement and entered the GPS coordinates again. I found a delightful little waterfall, just as the sky cleared and the sun came out!

When you stay the course, you might just end up in the right place!

~~~

Decalogue

This was taken at Art Prize 2010. I had a chance to talk to the artist ( Romanian artist Liviu Mocan)

the name of the piece is "Invitation/Decalogue" and was sculpted in honor of John Calvin's 500th birthday.

Decalogue
• The Decalogue is an ancient code for moral and spiritual development, commonly known as the Ten Commandments.
• John Calvin saw the Decalogue as the centre of God’s law in the Bible; Jesus Christ summarised it as to love God with all your heart, and love others as yourself. Calvin used this to guide the reformation of Genevan church and society in the 16th century.
• Liviu Mocan sub-titles the sculpture “God’s hands”. The ten giant fingers correspond to the Ten Commandments, and the sculptor tries to illustrate the peace, justice and security that God’s law was intended to create.

Invitation
• Hands – an invitation to relationship: the Decalogue is not just an impersonal set of laws, but is an expression of God’s love and desire for good and right relationships
• Contrasting faces – an invitation to ethical reflection: the two sides of each pillar reflect the dual consequences of God’s law: it generally goes well for us when we respect the law; but negative consequences follow when the law is disregarded.
• Circle – an invitation to freedom: the Decalogue creates a space of freedom to do good and live at peace with others.
• Massive columns – an invitation to hope: throughout history the Decalogue has helped shape societies that are characterised by freedom, justice and peace, and can still do the same in today’s troubled world.

As I talked to the artist, he took me by the hand and walked me around the sculpture.

"See," he said, "Inside God's hands, it is safe. Can you feel the safety in being enclosed. I made this round, gentle. Feel the metal, how strong, how it hold you."

He led me outside of the circle. "But look at how sharp the outside edges are." He took my hand and had me feel the metal...warm in the October sun. "How rough...how dangerous. Outside the hands of God...there is danger."

My church is a venue for "ArtPrize" - the first piece of art that committed to being in our building was a Calvin College grad.

Our building will be open to the public for 10 hours a day for 2 weeks...I've committed to working for a couple of 5 hour shifts...serving coffee, greeting people and answering questions.

This morning I helped hang up artwork and got to chat with a few of the artists. I also got the chance to talk a little more with fellow congregation members (who happen to move from a certain mega-CRC I used to be a member of)